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Virgin was furious at losing the West Coast Main Line franchise after 15 years after First Group’s ambitious promises to increase passenger numbers and pay the Treasury £9.6 billion over 13 yearsPress Association

Alex Spence

Last updated at 1:02AM, August 24 2012

Transport officials may be hauled before MPs to explain their controversial decision to strip Virgin Trains of the intercity West Coast Main Line franchise after the Public Accounts Committee waded into the row yesterday.

Margaret Hodge, the chairman of the influential committee, said that it would investigate whether the Department for Transport had done sufficient due diligence in awarding the London to Manchester railway to FirstGroup two weeks ago.

Virgin was furious at losing the franchise after 15 years after First Group’s ambitious promises to increase passenger numbers and pay the Treasury £9.6 billion over 13 years, trumping Virgin’s offer